Michael B. Jordan addresses whether Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa could potentially return in Creed 4. In 2015, Black Panther director Ryan Coogler released the first Creed film, a continuation of Stallone’s acclaimed Rocky series, which focused on Jordan’s Adonis Creed, son of Apollo Creed (played by Carl Weathers). While Stallone reprised his role of the former boxing champion Rocky Balboa for both Creed and 2018’s Creed 2, his character is noticeably absent in the franchise’s latest outing.
Jordan, who also made his directorial debut in the new film, clarified whether there is room for Stallone’s character to return in future films. Speaking with Sports Illustrated, the actor-director suggested that while Stallone does not appear in Creed 3, the “essence of Rocky and Sly” will always continue to be felt throughout the Creed films. Moreover, he also suggested that there will always be room for Stallone to return in future installments. Check out his comments below:
"I think there’s always space for Sly, for Rocky, to come back. That’s one of those amazing things about that character. It would make sense in any story line because it all stems from the world of Rocky. So any version of that, it would make sense."
Why Didn’t Stallone Return For Creed 3?
With Creed 3 serving as the ninth installment in the greater Rocky franchise, it also has the distinction of being the only film in the series that does not feature an appearance from Stallone’s character. While 2006’s Rocky Balboa was originally intended to serve as the franchise’s final installment, Stallone previously revealed that it took nearly two years for Coogler to convince him to return as the famous boxer for the first Creed spinoff. Assuming the role of Adonis’ mentor, Stallone’s presence was instrumental in connecting these latest films to the enormous legacy.
Even before Creed 3 entered production, Stallone intimated that Creed 2 would likely be his last time playing the character. Stating that Rocky’s story was already told, he suggested it was time for the torch to be handed over to the next generation. Late last year, Stallone further elaborated on his decision not to return, calling the situation “regretful” and hinting that Creed 3 was being taken in a darker direction than he would have liked.
Surprisingly, however, the events of Creed 3 still leave room for Stallone to make a triumphant return. Despite some theories somehow alluding to Rocky’s death and effectively mirroring his character losing his own mentor in Rocky 3, Stallone’s character is still very much alive in franchise canon by the end of the new film. The question is whether Jordan can find a way to convince him to come back one more time for Creed 4 if another sequel happens.
Source: Sports Illustrated